Moment of Truth
by Corri18
Summary: Alphonse has been trying to bring Edward back for three years. When he succeeds though he is not prepared for all the complications that come with it. Will Alphonse and Edward survive in the midst of chaos? Now is the moment of truth.
1. Part 1: The Gate

**Moment of Truth**

"This should be enough…" he mused as he finished drawing the transmutation circle. Alphonse set aside the bucket in his hand, the red liquid inside sloshing back and forth lazily. The younger Elric brother surveyed his handiwork, checking everything twice to make sure he had got it exactly right. Three years of research and hard work had finally led up to this moment. It was what he had been waiting for—the day he would finally get to see his brother, Edward Elric. Alphonse glanced at the suit of armor in the center of his circle. It stared back at him, nodding its head slightly in acknowledgement. Attaching pieces of his soul to inanimate objects came naturally to Alphonse. He never knew the ability would serve such a vital role in bringing his brother back from beyond the gate. With a clap of his hands, Alphonse knelt to the ground and placed them at the edge of the drawing. Instantly, the transmutation circle came alive, emitting a bright blue light. Finally, the moment of truth was upon him.

***2 weeks earlier, in Resembol ***

Winry Rockbell sighed and wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. With a goofy smile she set aside her wrench and looked over her newest auto mail design. "I know this will win the Rush Valley Auto Mail tournament this year! How can it not? The gorgeous design, the all new reinforced steel plating, the adjustable length…" Winry paused and set the arm aside, her eyes slowly drawn to the corkboard fill of photographs above her cramped work station. She felt her throat constrict as her gaze fell on a picture of her and Edward, the best friend she had ever had, and perhaps, something more if he hadn't vanished. It had been three years since she had last seen him. Three years since he had disappeared beyond the gate. She told everyone that she had moved on and accepted Edward's disappearance as reality, but she could never shake the nagging feeling that he was alive and well somewhere, and that maybe-- just maybe-- he was thinking of her too.

"Would you appreciate the fact that I incorporated materials into the auto mail that help amplify alchemic reactions, Ed? I did it just for you, you know." Winry sighed heavily and stood to her feet. It was late and she had worked straight through dinner. Assuming that Granny Pinako was sleeping, she crept stealthily down the stairs and into the kitchen. Much to her surprise, Alphonse was sitting at the kitchen table with only one small lamp lighting the room. When Winry entered, Alphonse's back was to her and he appeared to be hunched over something, focusing intently on it. Winry took a couple small steps into the kitchen before making her presence known with a small clearing of her throat. Al jumped and whirled around, his surprise plain on his face.

"Oh, Winry! I'm sorry; I didn't know you were up!" Winry thought she detected a hint of guilt in his voice that made her frown.

"It's no big deal. What are you up to? It's past midnight," she pointed out. Al laughed in the nervous way he usually did when he was hiding something.

"Oh nothing much, just studying as usual." Winry thought she saw the boy slip something into his coat pocket, but pretended not to notice. For some reason, the mechanic couldn't bring herself to reprimand him. Ever since Edward had disappeared, Al had been engrossed in his alchemy. He even spent some time in central living with Fuhrer Mustang just so he could have access to the Central library. His dream was to someday find Edward, and although Winry didn't think it was possible, she didn't have the heart to say so to his face.

"Well, try to get some sleep," Winry said lamely. Without giving Al anymore attention, she headed to the fridge to get something to eat. Alphonse said nothing further and got to his feet. Quietly, he made his way up to the spare bedroom where he had been living for the past three years. Al regretted the fact that he couldn't tell Winry about his research, but he knew that she would think it was too dangerous and tell him to stop. No one was going to stand in-between him and his brother.

Once Alphonse got to his room, he closed and locked the door behind him. Getting on his knees, he peeked under his bed and pulled out the ice chest he had hidden there. He opened it slowly, revealing several bags of blood. He had been collecting them over the last couple of months under the ruse that he had been donating blood to Central's main hospital. The nurses were not observant enough to notice when he swapped the bags of blood for bags of red wine that he transmuted on the spot. With this last bag he had finally achieved his quota. Soon, all of the materials needed for his transmutation would be in his possession.

Alphonse had figured out a way to bring his brother back almost a year ago, or at least, had discovered a theory. It came to him in a dream one night, and although he knew his brother would have said that following a method in a dream was "unscientific", he couldn't help but wonder if the dream had been some sort of hidden knowledge locked deep within his subconscious that was only now coming to the surface. In the dream, Alphonse had attached his soul once again to armor, and using a transmutation circle of his own blood, summoned and opened the gate to "the Truth". After opening the gate, he had put the remaining blood in the armor and sent it into the darkness. There, he was able to see through the suit's eyes and find his brother's body, mind, and soul before successfully bringing them out of the gate. When he woke up, Alphonse knew he had to try. With the complex transmutation circle fresh in his memory, the younger Elric had drawn it in detail and hidden it away where no one would ever find it, and in two weeks the suit of armor he had ordered from Central would arrive. Soon he and his brother would be together again—he was sure of it.

***

Alphonse came-to slowly and blinked away his blurry vision. A feeling of panic seized him when he couldn't remember where he was or what he had been doing before he had fallen asleep. When he sat up and realized that he was in his room at Winry's, a wave of fear and doubt consumed him. Had it all been a dream? Or had he failed? Either possibility was too painful for Alphonse to accept. Al jumped out of bed only to fall back into it. His legs were shaky, almost as if he hadn't used them in weeks. The fear Al had felt a few seconds earlier returned sharply, making him nauseous. "W-Winry?" Alphonse called out, his throat dry. The murmur of voices coming from downstairs stopped abruptly before footsteps were heard on the stairs.

"Alphonse!" Winry cried as she opened the door. Tears filled her eyes as she came to the bed and flung her arms around the boy in a hug. Al blinked in confusion, his mind racing. What had happened? Where was his brother? How much time had passed? Before any of his questions could be answered, Winry stepped back and slapped him on the face.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Al demanded as he grabbed his cheek.

"How dare you attempt human transmutation again?! Didn't you learn your lesson the first time?" Winry demanded in a rage.

"But, Winry, it wasn't human transmutation—

"I don't want to hear your excuses," she interrupted. "It's been a whole month, Al. We had no idea if you were even going to wake up!" Ignoring her concern, Al grabbed her hand, his eyes blazing.

"Winry, where is my brother? Where is Edward?" Winry stopped in her tracks, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Edward? What are you talking about Al? When we found you in the forest, there wasn't anyone else there." Alphonse felt his heart break with her response. So, he had failed after all. His years of effort had been for nothing and now it was back to square one. Winry saw Al's face fall and pitied him. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she put her arm around him encouragingly.

"You were trying to bring your brother back? Why didn't you tell me, Al?" Al shook his head, fighting tears.

"I didn't know the risk involved… I didn't want you to worry," he explained. Winry sighed and shook him lightly.

"Don't you know I always worry about you? Alphonse, you're all I have left other than granny. You can't leave in the dark like that," she chided. The boy could only nod, afraid that if he opened his mouth, sobs would come out instead of words. Winry stood, understanding that he needed to be alone. She gave him one last look before walking slowly out of the room. As soon as the door closed, Alphonse doubled over in bed, the tears streaking his face.

"Brother, I failed. I'm so sorry… please wait a little longer." Exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally, Alphonse slumped back in bed and fell into a fitful sleep.

***1 month earlier, Resembol***

Blue light filled the forest as a result of Alphonse's alchemy. The boy had fallen into a deep sleep, allowing his soul to focus on the armor that disappeared inside the gate. Hours passed with no sign of success. As the sun began to rise, voices filled the forest, all calling out for Alphonse. It was Winry who stumbled upon the clearing first. It had been a popular spot to play in as a child and one of the few places Alphonse frequented. She was relieved to find him in the field, but her relief immediately turned to worry when she saw the Al was unconscious. Calling upon the other villagers who were searching with her, they examined him and took him back to the Rockbell house before calling on a doctor.

No one took the time to investigate the clearing, however. Exactly twenty-four hours following Alphonse's initial attempt, the tranquil meadow filled with the signature glow of an alchemic reaction. The gate of legend reappeared, its antiquated doors opening with a groan. From the depths emerged a suit of armor, and in its arms rested the sleeping Edward Elric.


	2. Part 2: Some Things Never Change

***

With Alphonse's failure came depression. Winry had to force him to eat and sleep in order to regain his strength. A doctor visited daily to check on the young Elric's condition, but while his body slowly recovered, his spirit did not. During the day, Al would spend time sitting outside on the front porch, gazing in the direction of the forest. At night, Al dove deeper into alchemy. He would go for days without sleeping; only resting when he was on the verge of collapse. Out of desperation, Winry decided to take drastic measures. In-between two auto mail projects, Winry picked up the phone and dialed a number that had become familiar to her over the years.

On the third ring, a women's voice rang in her ears. "Fuhrer Mustang's office, how may I help you?" Hesitating for only a moment, Winry spoke up.

"Hello, this is Winry Rockbell. Is Roy in?"

"Oh, Ms. Winry!" The secretary immediately acknowledged her. "Hold on one moment." Winry only had to wait a few seconds before Roy Mustang's deep voice came on the line.

"Winry, what a surprise. Do you need something?" Winry bit her lip, choosing her words carefully.

"Yes, actually… I'm sorry to call you like this, but it's about Al. I'm really worried about him… About a month ago, he tried to bring his brother back and failed. He's taking it really hard. I was hoping maybe you could do something. Maybe send Colonel Armstrong out to visit? I know I'm asking a lot, but I've never seen him like this and—

"Say no more, Winry. I'll send someone immediately to pick him up," Mustang interrupted. A smile instantly lit the girl's face and Roy realized this as her tone immediately improved.

"Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. How is Riza, by the way?" Mustang chuckled in response to her question.

"She's a bit tied up, but that's natural. She's still bossing me around despite the fact that I was promoted to fuhrer a year ago. I suppose some things never change." Winry laughed in agreement and said her goodbyes. When she hung up the phone she felt a swell of relief. Despite her long lasting friendship with Alphonse, she knew that what he needed right now were some fellow alchemists who could understand his situation. With their help he would be back to the same old Alphonse in no time!

***A week after Alphonse's transmutation, mountains slightly north of Resembol***

He sat cross legged in front of a fire that he had constructed with alchemy. Everything came easily to him after the first week, but the memories were still hazy. Upon first waking up a week ago he had been startled to find himself naked in the middle of a forest, with nothing but a suit of armor to his name. After a day of wandering blindly through the woods he had remembered alchemy. With a snap of his fingers things would change before his eyes and a surge of knowledge would flow through him. He knew what everything was down to its last molecule, all with a simple touch. Clothes, food, and shelter were quickly provided for him with the gathering of materials and a little creativity.

The unknown alchemist twisted his long golden hair around one of his fingers, contemplating where he might have come from and why he had woken up in the middle of nowhere. Quite suddenly he had the image of his hair tied back in a braid. Searching around for some grass, he transmuted it into a hair band and immediately copied the memory, making it reality. The youth then laid back, full after a meal of rabbit and snake, and stared up at the stars. Across the clearing where he had set up his temporary home sat the suit of armor he had woken up to. For some strange reason he couldn't bring himself to leave it behind. Although it sat dormant now, he remembered a time when its eyes glowed red and it followed alongside him. Foolish dreams, perhaps, but he indulged them nonetheless.

"I wonder who I am…" he mused aloud, just to hear the sound of a human voice. "Damnit, there's no use worrying about it," he sighed as he rolled over on his side. Worrying about his past and the memories which were absent would get him nowhere. All he could do was wait and hope that something would come to him soon. Transmuting a tent out of some materials he had gathered earlier, the blonde boy drifted into a land of dreams.

The next two weeks were rough. One thing that quickly returned to him was something a beautiful woman with dark hair and a scary expression once told him, "To train the mind you must first train the body." The saying resonated deep within the alchemist and he immediately got to work training, honing his body and alchemy skills, although he knew not why. Training took up most of his time and helped the days pass quickly. With each day a new face would suddenly appear in his thoughts. A man with dark hair and a smirk, an old short woman, a large man with a ridiculous amount of muscles—but then, at the end of his third week in the forest, he remembered _her_.

Her face was fresh in his mind when he first woke up. She had a gentle look to her and a smiling face with bright eyes and long blonde. The girl was dressed plainly in cargo pants and a sports bra, with her hair tied back as she tinkered with a mechanical arm placed in front of her. For some reason, his heart ached as the image faded. He knew that he loved her in his past. By the end of the day, her face had been etched firmly in his mind along with the faces of a dozen others. Although he vaguely knew of their importance to him, he still could not remember their names and the memories attached to them. So, he struggled on with his training, the suit of armor watching over him as he worked.

It was at the end of the month that it all came back in a rush. When his eyes snapped open he sat bolt upright. His mind filled to the brim with the past and present. Edward Elric. That was who he was. Edward jumped quickly to his feet, only to sit back down again. Despite his month of training, his legs were too weak to support him. "The gate—Alphonse!" Edward's eyes darted to the familiar piece of armor across the meadow. Without delay he carefully got up and ran over to it. Taking off its head, he looked for the familiar blood seal that he expected to find there, but all he found was a blank sheet of metal. Edward crumpled forward, banging his fist on the steel in despair. "No, damnit, Alphonse! Was this the price you had to pay to bring me back from beyond the gate? Why'd you do it, you idiot! Damnit! Damnit all to hell!" Edward Elric paced back and forth in a mix of fury and anguish. How long had he been in the gate? Those days were still hard to remember. Why did his brother take such a big risk?

Looking around, Ed quickly realized that he was in the forest north of Resembol. He remembered playing in this same clearing when he was a child. Edward's thoughts drifted from his realization to Winry. Was she still alive and well in Resembol? Did she know that Al had died because of him? A sickening feeling overtook him. How could he go back and face her now? No matter how he felt though he knew that he had to. She deserved to know that he was alive at the very least. Putting on a brave face, Ed started to make his way south, but before he could leave the meadow, a voice called his name.

"Edward! It seems that your memories have returned." The older Elric brother whirled around, clapping his hands out of instinct. He wasn't sure which stunned him more—the fact that he realized he now had two human hands, or that his father was standing in front of him, alive and well. "Hey," his father greeted him sheepishly.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Edward hissed. "Did you help Al do this?" Hoenheim's smile fell from his face to be replaced with a more serious expression.

"No, Edward, you did. Now sit down, we have a lot to discuss."

***

When Winry ran upstairs to let Al know that he had a guest, he didn't so much as lift his head to acknowledge her. He sat at his desk with a book in front of him, as usual. The lunch that she had brought him three hours ago sat at the edge of the table where she had placed it, untouched and cold. "Alphonse Elric, listen to me!" Winry snapped as she stomped into the room. Al turned slowly to look up at her without so much as uttering a word of greeting. Winry frowned and grabbed him by the hand. "Come on!" She urged. Alphonse knew it was no use to struggle. He stumbled after Winry as she dragged him downstairs and into the front room. Much to his surprise, Roy Mustang stood in the doorway.

"Fuhrer Mustang! What are you doing here?" Al asked, unable to hide his amazement. Winry crossed her arms over her chest and smiled in triumph. She was glad that Roy could get some sort of reaction from him.

"Well, I was in the vicinity and thought I'd stop by," Roy replied with a coy smile.

"You couldn't have been in the vicinity! You're the fuhrer, shouldn't you be taking care of business in Central?" Al pointed out. Mustang's reply was a mere shrug.

"The great thing about being fuhrer is that I have the power to delegate duties to whomever I wish at any point in time." Alphonse allowed himself to smile. He knew that this meant Mustang was probably avoiding work so he could visit him. Some things never changed. Suddenly, Mustang cleared his throat and took on a more business type look.

"In all seriousness Alphonse, I heard that you were having a bit of trouble." Mustang glanced over at Winry and she immediately excused herself. She knew all too well what his look meant. This was something he needed to discuss with Al alone. As soon as Winry left the room, Al looked to the floor.

"Yes… I tried to bring Ed back, but… I failed." Mustang stepped further into the room and lifted Al's face with his hand.

"Alphonse, you are an Elric. And as long as I can remember, no Elric I've ever known has given up at the first sign of failure. Stop hanging your head. If you're that torn up about it, do something to change it." Al bit his lip. He knew that Mustang was right, but he couldn't so easily forget all the hard work that went to waste.

"What can I do?" Al finally asked. A fire lit in Roy Mustang's eyes as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a letter. It was sealed with the military crest and had his name written in flowing script across the front.

"I thought you might ask, so I brought you this. Read it over. I'll be back in three days to hear your answer." Giving a parting salute, Mustang turned and walked out of the Rockbell house. Curious, Alphonse tore open the letter, reading over the paper that was inside. Al's eyes widened. The letter was in fact an invitation to take the State Alchemy exam, just like his brother did years ago. Without wasting any time, Alphonse ran out the door, his eyes scanning the horizon. Mustang's form was just disappearing over one of Resembol's rolling hills.

"Wait, Fuhrer Mustang!" Alphonse shouted. Roy paused in his stride and turned to look back at him. "Don't go!" Al begged. "Give me a few minutes to pack!" Roy's smile was plain despite the distance between them.

"Meet me at the station," Mustang shouted back. For the first time in a week, Alphonse grinned.


	3. Part 3: Welcome Home

Later that day, it began to rain. Winry felt that it reflected her mood perfectly. Al had run off to Central, just like Edward had done years ago. Who knew when (or if) he would return? With her face resting in her hands, the girl stared out the window into the darkness, listening to the pouring rain. Den, her dog, was curled up in the corner half asleep, but suddenly lifted his head after a clap of thunder rang out. Ears perked, the canine got to his feet and walked to Winry's side. His auto mail leg made soft thuds on the floor as he did so. Winry patted his head to reassure him, but he kept nudging her and whining, finally turning towards the door.

"C'mon Den, you big scaredy cat!" Ignoring the taunt, Den gave a little bark and ran to the door, pawing at it frantically. Winry shook her head. "No, I won't let you out." If Den could have rolled his eyes, he probably would have. The dog barked several more times. Annoyed, Winry got up and walked over to him. "Den, I said no! You'll only—Winry's reprimand was suddenly cut short by a pounding on the door. Den barked again as if to say, "I told you so." Winry paused, unsure of who or what could be behind the door. No one would dare venture out in this weather, and their nearest neighbor was three miles down the road.

"Who is it?" Winry asked, but she could not hear a reply over the howling wind. Den barked loudly. Finally, Winry opened the door a crack, peering out from behind it. She could vaguely discern a person's outline, but there wasn't enough light to see clearly who it was. Before Winry could protest, Den wriggled his way between her legs and pushed open the door with his snout. The girl let out a small gasp as Den dashed to greet the guest and light was shed on his face. He was completely drenched from the rain despite having a jacket, and his long blonde hair and fallen out of its usual braid. Something that looked like blood stained his sleeves. Pale and disheveled, he gazed up at her with his amber eyes while Den rubbed up against him.

"Hey, Winry," Edward Elric greeted. In that moment, Winry was at the mercy of a million emotions. Frantically, she grabbed onto one. Stepping forward she smacked Ed across the face, causing him to slip and fall back into the mud.

"Ow! What was that for?!" Edward demanded. Instantly, Winry's eyes filled with tears and she crumpled to the floor.

"Y-you're really here then. You're alive! So that means Alphonse didn't fail after all." She could say nothing else. Sobs racked her body as she buried her face in her hands. Suddenly, something cold and wet came to rest on her shoulder. When she finally lifted her head she was surprised to discover that it was Edward's right hand—and a human one at that. He offered her an apologetic smile.

"No, he didn't fail, but I'm sorry to say you might be out of a job now, Winry. My arm and leg are back to normal now." She held his gaze for a second, cementing in her mind that this was not a dream, but reality. Once she was sure that Edward was real and not a figment of her imagination, she laughed.

"Don't flatter yourself, Ed. I've become pretty famous in the last three years. I have more than enough customers to keep me busy. Besides, I can't be spending all my time working for you. If I did, I'd never get anything done!" Ed only shook his head and offered Winry his new hand. She took it and he pulled her to her feet. They stood in awkward silence for about a second before Winry forced another laugh. "Well, don't just stand there, come in! Oh wait—on second thought, stay there. I'll get you some clothes. Why were you out in this weather? What have you been doing all this time—well, there will be plenty of time to talk, just—

"Winry," Edward interrupted.

"Oh, right, clothes," Winry agreed, slightly flustered. Taking one last look at Edward to reassure herself, she ran upstairs to Al's room and grabbed some extra clothes from his dresser. She ran back downstairs just as quickly, relieved to find the older Elric brother still standing there. "Here," she said sheepishly, handing him the garments. She then turned to face the wall as he changed in the front room. He left his wet clothes in a pile at the door and Winry tried to ignore the fact that it was indeed blood that stained his jacket. Winry made some coffee for them before they sat down at the table. She stared down into the brown liquid, not sure what to say or where to start. Edward did the same. They listened to the storm raging and the soft ticking of the clock on the wall. Quite abruptly, they both began to speak, but then stopped, looking into each other's eyes. "You first," Winry urged. Edward gave a slight nod.

"All right, but you may not like everything I have to say," he warned.

"Have I ever?" She teased. Edward tried to smile, but there was no emotion in his eyes. He proceeded to tell her what he had been doing for the last month up until the part where he had reunited with his father. There, he paused. About an hour had past, and both of their coffee mugs were empty.

"I think I need some more," Edward explained. Winry frowned. Normally she would have told him to make it himself—he knew where everything was in the kitchen. This time though, she made an exception. Taking both of their cups, she filled them to the brim before sitting back down again. Edward took a deep breath and went on to describe the events of the last week.

***A week prior, the forest north of Resembol***

"What could you possibly have to discuss with me? And what do you mean _I_ had something to do with Al's death?" Edward demanded as he followed his father deeper into the forest.

"Well, you were the one who told him how to open the gate. Or do you not remember?" Hoenheim replied.

"Of course I don't remember! I have no idea what you're talking about," Ed complained. Suddenly, Ed stopped walking. Hoenheim did the same and turned to look back at his eldest son. "I'm not following you any farther until you explain everything to me," the alchemist said stubbornly. Silence hung between them for a few minutes before Hoenheim finally conceded.

"Fine. Here's the story. You have been in the gate, as have I, for the last three years. While in the gate, we were able to learn a great deal. Somehow, using your natural talent, your new found knowledge, and the connection with your brother to reach him through his dreams. About a year ago, you gave him all the information he needed to open the gate and rescue you. He did so, thus, you're now in this world."

"If what you're saying is true, why don't I remember it? And how the hell did you get here? Did you just decide to tag along when I came through the gate?" Ed growled angrily.

"I don't understand why you can't remember it. I remember everything in great detail, and yes, I did 'tag along,' but Edward, if you had the chance to escape from that place I'm sure you would have done the same thing I did. Consider yourself better off for not remembering everything that happened in that place," Hoenheim explained somberly. Edward clicked his tongue in annoyance and turned to walk away. "Where do you think you're going?" his father asked.

"I'm going to see Winry if you must know," Ed snapped back.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Edward," Hoenheim said as he began to trail after him.

"I don't really care what you think!" Edward retorted.

"If you go back there, you're going to put her in danger, Edward. The gate is still open." His father's words caused Edward Elric to freeze in mid step. He turned slowly to look at his old man in disbelief and horror.

"What…?" Hoenheim could only shake his head.

"Usually it takes a very high price to open the gate, and immediately after it is paid, the gate is quick to close… your brother, however, was able to open the gate without any personal loss and now, it won't close. Edward, I was able to come out after you because the door did not shut… which means…" Edward's eyes widened in fear.

"That means… other things from the gate can come out?" Edward finished with a whisper. Hoenheim nodded, his mouth pulled into a flat line.

"We need to find your brother to close the gate; otherwise, the world will be doomed. That same darkness that lives inside it will overtake this country and any semblance of order we have will be destroyed." Edward looked away, his hands clenched into fists.

"But Al, he's…" Edward couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

"He's not dead," Hoenheim corrected him, which immediately caught his son's attention.

"But the armor—it didn't have the blood seal— Hoenheim chuckled.

"So, you don't remember that either, do you? You got in the gate because you sacrificed yourself to give Al his body back. That's why the creatures in the gate will be coming after you and your brother. They're angry because you broke their rules," Ed's father explained. Again, Edward was filled with amazement.

"No more equivalent exchange?" He asked. Hoenheim shrugged.

"Something like that." Edward allowed all of the new information to sink in before looking back at his father.

"So… what do we do now?" The young alchemist questioned.

"We need to find your brother, but first… we have a bigger problem to deal with." Hoenheim's expression darkened. Before Edward could ask what that problem was, the shadows on the trees around them began to lengthen, forming into one point. From the shadows on the ground emerged a bubbling black mass with a gaping mouth and wild, red eyes. With a rumbling roar that sounded like thunder, it pulled itself free. It stood above both of the Elrics and continuously changed shape, almost as if it couldn't decide on what it was or wanted to be. At one moment it would have ten arms, and the next it would have two tails, each with sharp points. The shape shifting blob finally decided on four arms with sharp claws and a tail like a scorpions. About ten feet in height, it turned to leer at the two alchemists, a twisted grin on its black face.

"By bigger problem, I'm assuming you mean that," Edward gulped. When the monster lunged at them, they immediately split up and ran in two different directions. Without any deliberation, the creature followed after Edward. "Just my luck," he muttered under his breath. Dodging behind a large rock, the alchemist clapped his hands and prepared to fight.

***

"It took us an entire week to kill the damn thing," Edward told her. He cringed just at the thought of it and suddenly Winry understood where the blood on his jacket came from. "They aren't easy to kill and we still haven't figured it all out… which is why I need to talk to Alphonse. Where is he?" Edward asked.

"He went to Central with Mustang earlier today," Winry replied. Edward nodded and stood to his feet.

"Thanks Winry." When Winry realized that he was about to leave she jumped to her feet.

"Where do you think you're going?" She demanded sharply. Edward paused at the door and looked back at her. He had already put on his muddied jacket.

"Um, to Central," he said lamely. She shook her head furiously.

"Not in this weather you're not! Besides, it's the middle of the night. None of the trains are running." Ed knew she had a point and let his hand slip off the doorknob. Once again, her eyes were filled with tears. "Edward… I just got you back in my life and you're already leaving again?" Tears streaked her porcelain face as she bit down on her lip to keep from crying out loud.

"Winry, I…" Ed didn't know what to say, so instead, he took a few steps towards her until they were only an arm's length apart. She searched his face for the words he couldn't say, but he averted his gaze. "I'll stay, but I'm leaving first thing in the morning." She knew that was all he could give her right now, but she wanted more. Uncertain, she reached for his newly replaced hand and squeezed it.

"Welcome home," she murmured.


	4. Part 4: Nightmares

Mustang shook Alphonse gently to wake him. They had ridden straight from Resembol to Central without stopping and it was early morning when they finally arrived. Al stirred with a groan and yawned. Mustang hid a smile as he stood. "Sleep well?" He inquired as they made their way off the train onto the platform. Alphonse shrugged slightly.

"…I was dreaming of my brother. He had gotten caught in the rain and he… well, it was only a dream," Alphonse muttered. Mustang eyed him appraisingly, but said nothing. They walked through the bustling morning traffic of people on their way to work. Stepping out of the train station and into the street, Mustang hailed a car parked a little further down the road. The black vehicle rolled up slowly. When the driver stepped out, Alphonse immediately recognized him as Colonel Armstrong. The colonel stood well above the average person, and his bulky body and bald head were easy to pick out of a crowd. Alphonse couldn't help but grin when he saw him. "Colonel! It's good to see you, sir!" The colonel immediately ran over to give Al a hug.

"Alphonse Elric! It's wonderful to see you as well! It has been too long, come, I will treat you to a special viewing of my beautifully sculptured body, inherited through the Armstrong family for generations—Al laughed and somehow managed to wriggle his way out of the colonel's clutches.

"Thanks colonel, but maybe another time. You see, I'm actually here on business." Alphonse looked up at Roy for confirmation and the fuhrer nodded.

"Yes, Alphonse will be very busy. Starting today he will be studying for the alchemy exam next month."

Armstrong smiled down at him fondly. "It seems only natural for another Elric to join our ranks," he commented. A heavy silence suddenly permeated the air and Mustang smoothly changed the subject by opening the door to the backseat and motioning for Al to get in. Before he could so, however, an arm with a gun in its hand reached out of the car and pointed its barrel in Roy's face.

"Ah, Fuhrer, forgive me for not mentioning…" Armstrong began, but he couldn't finish his sentence. From out of the back seat of the car exited Riza Mustang, a former subordinate of the fuhrer who had only agreed to marry him once he had obtained the top position in the military. Her reasoning was that because he was fuhrer he no longer needed her as a subordinate to propel him to the top, but as a wife-- to keep him in line. Mustang blinked as the gun rested between his eyes. The blonde beauty was dressed in a tan leather jacket with brown corduroy pants and a loose fitting shirt. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Roy's relaxed expression.

"You left Central without telling me and caused the entire headquarters to plunge into chaos. I didn't know if something had happened to you. I should shoot you right now to teach you to act more appropriately," she seethed.

"Didn't you get my note?" Mustang asked, tucking his gloved hands into his pockets.

"You mean this?" Riza asked, holding up a scrap piece of paper in front of her. On it was a scribbled doodle of Hayate, her dog, and chicken scratch that read, "Gone out. Be back soon." Without waiting for any of Roy's excuses, she balled up the piece of paper, threw it into the air, and fired her gun several times in its general direction. Shreds of the paper fell around them only to be swept away by the wind.

"Ah, I see," Roy mused. Riza made a sound of annoyance before tucking her gun into the holster at her hip. "Get in the car," she ordered, pointing to the back seat.

"You heard the woman, Al," Roy said cheerily. Riza gave her husband one last death glare before they all piled into the military vehicle. Roy sat in the back with Riza, offering Alphonse the front seat. The two of them talked in hushed whispers while Armstrong rambled to Al about all of the things going on in Central. Al wasn't really listening though. His thoughts were focused on how his title of state alchemist would open up more opportunities for him to find his brother. This time, he would not fail.

***

When Winry woke up, it was to sunshine falling across her face. Blinking in the blinding light, she rolled out of bed with a moan and looked over at the clock. 10:57. She did a double take and cursed under her breath, stripping quickly out of her nightgown before yanking on a t-shirt and her favorite cargo pants. Winry then sprinted down the hall to Al's room where Edward had slept. She threw open the door without knocking only to find it empty. Her heart sank and she cursed herself for oversleeping. What, did she expect Edward to wait around for her while she slept that day away? Even so, she couldn't help but feel a little angry that he hadn't bothered to say goodbye. With a sigh she turned to go downstairs. Much to her surprise, it wasn't her grandmother who was sitting at the table.

"It's about time you got up. I hope you got all your beauty rest in," Edward teased. Winry couldn't hold back the grin the bubbled up from inside her.

"A girl like me doesn't need any beauty rest, it just comes naturally," she retorted as she began to rummage through the fridge.

"That's not how things look to me," Edward teased. She glared at him over her shoulder and he snickered familiarly. Winry sat down across from him to eat her brunch. He had nothing in front of him, but chose to watch her in silence. Once she was finished she got up to clean her dishes. While she washed them, she asked,

"When are you leaving?"

"My train leaves in an hour." She nodded.

"Well, be careful. I know that you don't have auto mail anymore, but that doesn't mean I can't help you. Call if you need anything," Winry instructed.

"I will," Edward promised in a way that suggested he was only telling her what she wanted to hear.

"I'm serious, Ed!" Winry exclaimed, finally turning to face him. Edward frowned slightly and sighed. "Edward, I don't want to lose you or Al ever again. When you find him you both need to come home." Edward shook his head in disagreement.

"Winry, we have to correct our mistakes. We can't just allow the gate to stay opened—

"You've spent your whole life trying to fix every problem you've ever made! Why can't you just let someone else take care of it for once? Things happen—bad things, but that doesn't mean we should shoulder all the blame!" Winry said passionately. The blonde alchemist shook his head once again and Winry glared at the floor. "Why can't you ever just be happy with what you have, Ed? Am I… am I not good enough for you?" She asked, biting her lip to keep from saying more.

"Winry…" Ed began warily.

"No, don't tell me," she interrupted, afraid of the answer. Without saying another word, she turned and went quietly back up the stairs. Ed watched her go.

After he heard her door shut, he pulled out a piece of paper and a pen. For the next half hour he wrote furiously, crossing out sentences and scratching out words. He went through several sheets before he finally got it right. He placed his letter on the edge of the table before grabbing what little he had and walked out the door. Winry saw him leave from her bedroom window. She trained her eyes on his back, but as was his custom, he never looked back.

Later that day when she went downstairs for dinner, her grandmother handed her the letter that Edward had addressed to her. Winry read it carefully, her eyes widening as she read more and more. Without eating her dinner she jumped up from the table and ran back to her room. "What is it? What did he say?" Granny Pinako yelled after her.

"I'm going to Central!" Was Winry's reply.

***

Alphonse stayed with Colonel Armstrong. Mustang said that he wished he could let Al stay with him, but Riza told Roy that he had enough to help him procrastinate without Alphonse being there. She wouldn't allow the fuhrer to shirk his duties any more than he already had. Alphonse was perfectly okay with yielding to her authority. He didn't want to be around when she gave Mustang a _real_ lecture. Armstrong joked that the country would run smoothly—as long as Riza was around. Al agreed wholeheartedly.

When Alphonse arrived at the massive Armstrong estate he was provided a room large enough to fit three bedrooms. However, he was only taken to his room after Colonel Armstrong had given him a grand tour of the house, an endeavor that took well over an hour. By the time they had finished walking around and Al had listened to the colonel repeat the entire Armstrong history, the young alchemist was more than ready for to curl up and fall asleep. He set his suitcase just inside the door and jumped into the king sized bed without taking off any of his clothes. He did, however, kick off his shoes. Al closed his eyes…

…he woke up to a cold breeze. Furrowing his eyebrows, Alphonse rolled over and pulled the sheets more tightly around him, but the wind only blew harder. Al opened his eyes groggily and saw that the window had come open in the night. With a groan, he sat himself up, but then he caught sight of a figure sitting in the corner and instantly became wide awake. Bolting out of bed, Al backed into the corner, putting his hands up in a fighting stance. "Who are you?" He demanded. Alphonse was unable to see clearly who the person was. They were sitting in the shadows just out of the moonlight's reach. Lethargically, the figure got up and stepped forward. Alphonse tensed, but did a double take as the person stepped into the light.

"I'm hurt, Alphonse. Don't you know yourself?" Al saw his smiling face reflected back at him just before the boy had his hands around his throat. Alphonse didn't have time to scream, but that didn't mean he didn't struggle. The perfect replica remained calm, unfazed no matter how hard he kicked and clawed. Al was losing air quickly and found that his vision was becoming blurred.

"H-help!" Al croaked. His own twisted grin was the last thing he saw before he lost consciousness.


	5. Part 5: Return to Central

***

Edward gasped and sat straight up, his entire body drenched in a cold sweat. He first looked down at his hands to make sure he wasn't dreaming. No, he really did have his body back. Then he glanced around to double check that he was actually in Central. Yep. Outside the hotel window he could see the glistening white walls of the gaudy military headquarters standing tall in the middle of the thriving metropolis. The sun was just beginning to rise, making the spectacle all the more surreal… so; it had only been a bad dream after all.

The alchemist rolled out of bed and quickly dressed. He had a lot to do and not enough time to do it. First, he would go to Central Headquarters to see if he could find Al. "Only gone for three years and Mustang already has his slimy hands all over him," Ed muttered as he pulled on his boots. Edward regretted that he no longer had his signature red jacket. He would have to find some red fabric and transmute one when he had a chance. First thing was first though; he was off to visit Roy Mustang. Setting out of the hotel purposefully, the older Elric brother walked through the streets and was surprised to see how much had changed in just three short years. Central was busier than he remembered, if that was possible. It took him a little longer than it normally would have to reach Central Headquarters. Once he did, he was met by a string of guards standing at the gate.

"State your business," the one closest to him ordered.

"I'm here to see Roy Mustang," Edward replied matter-of-factly. Some of the guards exchanged glances before looking back at him.

"Do you have an appointment?" the soldier asked.

"No, but I'm an old friend of his. He'll want to see me," Edward reassured them. One of the guards chuckled.

"Sorry, but friend or not, you need an appointment to see Mr. Mustang," the guard apologized. Edward rolled his eyes.

"Come on now, it's not like he's someone important like the fuhrer or anything. Just tell the colonel that Edward Elric is here and I'm sure he'll come running." At this point, the soldiers' amusement turned to annoyance. Surprised at the sudden change in tension, Ed took a small step back.

"Listen kid, his Excellency doesn't have any time to deal with punks like you. Get lost." Ed's eyes narrowed angrily.

"Some welcome! Fine, tell Mr. Hot Stuff that he's got another thing coming—especially if he's using my brother to gain some sort of promotion." Edward growled, poking a finger in the guard's face. After that he stormed off. The soldiers stared after him in bewilderment. Turning the corner, Edward muttered under his breath, "Well, I've always said 'if you don't have a way, make one!'" Clapping his hands, he placed them against the walls outlining the premises and created a small hole. Crawling through, he put the wall back in place before glancing around. He saw some soldiers patrolling afar off. Ducking down, he weaved in and out of the foliage to reach the side of the building where Roy's office used to be. Clapping his hands once more, he created a ladder from a tree and climbed up to the window. Peering in, Ed was able to make out the edge of the colonel's desk. Some feet were propped up on top of it. Yep, that was the colonel, no doubt about it. Only he would be kicking back when there was work to be done.

Already formulating a lecture in his mind, Ed pushed open the window and jumped into the room. "Yo, Colonel Ego! I've got a bone to pick with--" Ed paused in mid sentence, his jaw dropping when he saw that it wasn't Mustang who was situated behind the desk, but Alex Luis Armstrong. The two stared at each other dumbfounded for a few seconds before they both started talking at once.

"Major—

"Edward Elric, is that really you?!" The former major had already jumped to his feet and was over the desk with his arms outstretched.

"W-wait, major!" Edward protested, but he was too late. Armstrong swept him up in a bone crushing hug. Ed could hear several of his ribs cracking as he squeaked in pain.

"M-major—can't—breathe!" Edward gasped.

"Oh Edward Elric, what a joyous occasion! It really is you and not some apparition! I weep out of joy of your return!" Armstrong sobbed. Edward did his best to endure the pain. When Armstrong finally did release him he had to take a few seconds to catch his breath. The giant before him waited eagerly for some sort of explanation, but Edward didn't offer one.

"Why are you in Mustang's office?" Was all he managed to say. Armstrong cocked his head at him strangely and then made a noise of realization.

"You have been gone too long, Edward Elric. I am Colonel Armstrong now, and Mustang is--"

***

Mustang looked over his stack of paper work with a sigh. New bills were waiting to be passed and several reports needed to be looked through, but the weather outside was so beautiful that all he could think about was getting home to his wife and spending the evening out on the town. "Who knew that being fuhrer could be so difficult?" Mustang asked himself aloud. Suddenly, a bang echoed down the hallway, followed by several shouts of alarm. Several more loud noises echoed the first. Mustang stood quickly to his feet, his fingers poised to snap as his eyes trained on the door. Violently, the doors were thrust open. The fuhrer took a step forward, ready to attack, but stopped when he saw Edward Elric before him, a path of mayhem and destruction in his wake. Panting, the elder Elric walked into Mustang's office, one of his personally crafted spears in hand.

"Fuhrer Mustang? What the hell were they thinking? I'm surprised this country hasn't gone up in flames yet—pun intended!" Although Edward's expression was one of anger, Roy couldn't help but feel relieved at the sight of him. It was the same hot-headed alchemist that he remembered from years past, and here he stood in the flesh, hurling his familiar taunts. Mustang was so shocked that he couldn't even think of a good comeback. Growing angrier by the second, Edward finally hurled his spear at Mustang. The fuhrer stepped swiftly aside, letting the projectile plant itself firmly in his desk.

"This is all coming out of your pocket, I'll have you know," Roy finally said. Edward rolled his eyes.

"I'm dead, according to the military. As long as I don't exist, you can't make me pay for anything. Now, tell me, where is my brother?" Edward demanded.

"Have a seat, Edward," Mustang ordered coolly. "I'm the fuhrer now. I don't take orders from anyone. First, you'll explain what the hell's going on here. Then, I'll show you where Alphonse is." Begrudgingly, Edward plopped down in the chair in front of Mustang's desk. Sitting himself in his leather chair, Roy laced his fingers together, leaned back, and looked to Edward expectantly.

***

Alphonse opened his eyes slowly and looked around. He knew immediately that he was no longer in the Armstrong household. White walls surrounded him and were matched with white bed sheets, curtains, and drawers. The whole room was so bright that he had to shut his eyes immediately after first opening them. The younger Elric groaned softly. "Where am I?"

"In Central hospital," a familiar voice responded. Alphonse opened one eye to glance at Riza Mustang.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye! Err… Mrs. Mustang," Al corrected himself. Riza laughed lightly as she came to sit next to Al on the bed. Her hair was down and it would take Al some time to get used to seeing her in civilian's clothing.

"Just Riza, Alphonse," she encouraged him. He smiled sheepishly, his eyes finally adjusting. "Armstrong found you unconscious in your room this morning. He rushed you here immediately, but they couldn't find anything wrong. He wanted to stay, but he had other duties. Did something happen last night?" she asked gently. Al thought back to the night before and quickly recalled the person who had taken on his shape. He nodded slowly.

"Someone attacked me, and he looked just like me. I have no idea who it was," Alphonse admitted. Riza nodded, her eyes reflecting that she was making mental calculations.

"I will send some officers to search the house for any evidence of a break in. I've posted some guards outside your door as well, so please don't hesitate to ask them for anything," Riza instructed. Al looked around the bland room distastefully.

"Do I have to stay here for much longer?" He asked. Mrs. Mustang shook her head.

"No, but the doctors would like you to stay here for the remainder of the day just in case." Just as Riza was finishing explaining this, a phone across the room rang. She stood to answer it. "Riza Mustang speaking." She listened intently before emitting a small gasp. "Are you certain? Yes, please, by all means. Should I let him know that he's on his way? …Yes, thank you. Thank you very much." After Riza put the phone back in its cradle she took a few seconds before turning back to Al. Her eyes were wide and moist with a film of tears.

"Is everything all right?" Al asked in alarm. Riza blinked away the liquid from her eyes and nodded vigorously.

"Yes, more than all right. Alphonse, your brother—Edward—he's alive and he's coming here!"


	6. Part 6: Family

Alphonse stared at Riza in disbelief. "But, that's impossible… my transmutation-- it failed. Nothing happened; I know that for a fact." Riza looked at Al helplessly, but the younger Elric wouldn't allow himself to be so easily convinced. "Miss Riza, I was just attacked by someone who looks exactly like me. Wouldn't it be reasonable to believe that this shape shifter could make himself look like Edward to get to me? I won't allow myself to get my hopes up again. I'm sorry, but I'll have to decide if he's my brother with my own two eyes," Al explained softly. Riza was dismayed, but didn't attempt to sway him differently. His logic was sound and he had been through too much. They would know soon enough if Edward Elric was alive and well.

***

Mustang and Edward sat in the back of the car in silence as a soldier took them to Central's hospital. When they exited, the guard saluted and explained that he would be waiting for them to return. Roy muttered his thanks and led the way inside. Edward ground his teeth together as Roy spoke with familiarity to the nurses before making his way up the stairs and down the hall to Alphonse's room. Outside his door, they both paused. "Riza should be with him now. I'll wait out here so you two can have some privacy," Mustang explained. Edward stared at the door with an impending sense of doom. What if Al didn't believe it was really him? Envy, the homunculus that they had fought in the past, could easily change his shape to look like anyone he wanted. How could he prove that he wasn't an imposter? Mustang leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms impatiently. "Well, don't just stand there. Go in." Taking a deep breath, Edward took hold of the handle and turned the knob. When he stepped into the room, his eyes immediately flew to the hospital bed. Riza Hawkeye looked to him with warmth, while the boy next to her studied him with a guarded expression. Rising gracefully, Riza saluted almost playfully before exiting the room. On her way out, she patted Edward gently on the shoulder.

When she closed the door, awkwardness filled the air. Edward forced a laugh and scratched his head. "Wow, Al, you sure have grown while I was away. I expected as much. I guess I was expecting too much when I thought you would stay away from the military though," Edward said calmly. Al's eyes squinted together as if he were trying to take in every detail. Edward knew that he was looking for mistakes, some sort of sign to show he wasn't real. The older Elric walked to his brother's bedside and sat down, showing him the palms of his hands. "I have my body back, Al. You did a good job. It seems that you followed my directions perfectly," Edward said thoughtfully.

"Directions?" Al inquired quizzically.

"Oh, that's right, you don't know about that. I have so much that I need to tell you," Edward went on. "That transmutation circle you drew to open the gate and get me out—I sent that to you in a dream. Hoenheim explained everything to me."

"Dad? You saw dad?" A string of questions formulated in Al's mind. Ed shook his head apologetically.

"I don't understand it all myself, but…" Edward took out a sheet of paper and a pencil from his pocket and began to draw carefully. When he finished, he handed the picture to Al. "That's the transmutation circle, isn't it?" Alphonse gaped at the piece of paper. It was an exact replica of the one he had used in Resembol. He hadn't shared it with anyone, which meant that…!

Al's eyes instantly began to water. Crumpling up the piece of paper, he brought his hands up to cover his face. "Woah! What's the matter?" Edward asked with concern. Gently, he put his hand on his brother's back as Al began to sob.

"I didn't fail! It really _is_ you!" Alphonse realized.

"Of course it is you dummy! Don't cry!" Edward pleaded. This only made the younger Elric cry harder. Clinging to the front of his brother's shirt, he sobbed uncontrollably. Unsure of what to do, Ed wrapped his arms around him. It had been seven years since he had been able to do so. Realizing this, Edward began to cry too.

"No one knew how lonely it was, brother. I missed you so much," Al blurted out. Ed gently rubbed his back, tears falling from his amber eyes.

"I know, Al, but it's okay. We're together and nothing is going to tear us apart ever again. Not anymore," Edward promised with conviction. Alphonse raised his head to offer a weak smile as he wiped his eyes. Ed laughed and wiped his face as well.

The two talked for what seemed like hours. Alphonse explained everything that had happened in the last three years. Edward was most surprised to hear of Riza and Mustang's marriage, but agreed that it was bound to happen at some point. When Alphonse told his brother what had occurred most recently in the Armstrong household, a frown of worry creased Ed's face. Edward then told Alphonse about his return from the gate, the meeting with their father, and the information they collected on the monsters that were currently after them. Al listened intently, his thoughts racing to come up with solutions. Edward assumed that the attack on Al had something to do with the gate still being opened.

"I can't believe all the trouble I caused," Alphonse said in horror. Edward tried to reassure hm.

"It's okay, there's no way either of us could have known, but now we have a problem on our hands. We need to close that gate for good." The brothers sat in silent agreement, unsure of what their next step would be. While in the middle of their musing, they heard some muffled voices arguing in the hallway. The brothers picked out Roy and Riza's concerned tones, but there was also a third, familiar voice that seemed to be angry about something. Ed and Al exchanged glances just as the door was thrown open and Winry Rockbell came thundering into the room.

"EDWARD ELRIC!" She yelled. Eyes growing wide, Ed managed to barely dodge a wrench as it came flying towards his head. "HOW DARE YOU!" The girl continued to scream. Alphonse looked back and forth between them in confusion.

"Wait, Winry, let me explain!" Edward begged as he put some distance between them. Winry would not hear any excuses, however, and stomped towards him. Once Edward had been backed into a corner, Winry stood so that there was only about a foot between them. Her face was flushed and strangely beautiful despite her anger and her eyes had only recently filled with tears. Edward braced himself for a lecture or a beating, he wasn't sure which. Curiously, Riza and Roy poked their heads into the room, which is when Winry surprised them all. Without any sort of warning, she leaned into Edward and kissed him sweetly on the lips.

When she pulled away, everyone's mouths were left hanging open in shock. Both she and Edward turned a bright cherry red. The elder Elric moved his mouth as if to say something, but no words came out. Shyly, Winry then averted her eyes to the floor. "Why couldn't you have given me the letter in person?" Winry wondered. A long pause followed her question. When Winry finally lifted her eyes to Edward's, he was smiling.

"Because… well, I knew you wouldn't let me go, and like I said, I had to find Alphonse and make things right," Edward explained. The two teens locked eyes and were about to lean in for another kiss when the sound of clapping brought them back into the real world.

"Bravo, Fullmetal, it seems you finally found yourself a girlfriend. I'm glad to see that your stunted growth does not also apply to your social life," Roy laughed. A vein bulged in Ed's forehead.

"What was that you pompous flaming bastard?!" Edward yelled as he made a lunge for the fuhrer. Both Al and Winry grabbed one of his arms to hold him back. "I'll have you know that I've grown almost a full foot since I last say you!" He growled. Mustang continued to laugh while Riza just shook her head.

"Now, now children, let's calm down, shall we? It's getting late. Let's check Alphonse out of the hospital and go eat dinner," Riza offered. Edward suddenly turned serious at her suggestion.

"Thank you former lieutenant, but Al and I have a lot of work to get done. If we don't make things right soon, a lot of bad things could happen." Mustang grew serious as well and said,

"Than it's a good thing that you have the military backing you. Come with us and we'll find a way to defeat this enemy together. I won't let you refuse my help anymore. That's an order," Mustang exclaimed.

"Tch. I told you, I'm not part of the military anymore," Edward retorted. Despite what he said though, he and Al got up to follow them. Winry quickly gathered her things and did the same. As they went to check out of the hospital, she gently grabbed Ed's hand. With a squeeze, he laced their fingers and flashed her one of his bright smiles. When the five finally piled into the military car, they almost looked like a family.


	7. Part 7: The Full Heart Alchemist

When they finally arrived at the fuhrer's mansion, Edward took a minute to stare at it. He then glared at Mustang. "Finally found a house big enough to fit your ego, eh?"

"This house was graciously provided to me by the state like all the other fuhrer's before me, Edward. I had no choice in the matter," Mustang replied. Edward continued to glare at him in disbelief. Not waiting for them to lead, Al, Winry and Riza walked up the long drive and into the house. Guards stationed at the door saluted them as they returned.

The five shared a simple, but delectable meal together. Because the brothers hadn't been together in so long, they rushed through their dinner so they could have some time to speak before going to bed. When the brothers were shown to their room they were surprised to find that, although the outside was lavish, the rooms inside the house were fairly plain. The room had only the necessities: two beds, two dressers, two night stands, and one bathroom connected to it. Winry was stationed across the hall in her own bedroom. Ed and Al were careful to talk quietly so they wouldn't disturb her, or be overheard.

"What else did you want to tell me, Ed?" Al asked anxiously. He knew his brother well enough to know that he had kept something from him in his explanation at the hospital. Edward laughed uneasily and nodded before leaning in closer.

"Well, it's two things, actually," Edward began. Al's focused eyes rested on his brother's face. Edward looked away and Al's stomach immediately dropped. It was never good when Ed couldn't look him straight on. "First of all, I know who that kid was who attacked you. I was hoping that I was wrong, but after hearing you explain what happened, I know for a fact that he's the part of your soul that you attached to the armor you sent in the gate. I know because if my calculations are correct, I regained my memories once you woke up and it also makes sense that the monsters in the gate would cling to that in an attempt to destroy you. I'm assuming that the same monster that killed our dad—

"What did you say?" Alphonse interrupted in horror. Realizing what he had just said, Edward sighed heavily.

"Yeah… the other thing I needed to tell you… Hoenheim is dead. The only reason we were able to defeat that monster in Resembol was because he sacrificed himself to defeat it." Edward took a deep breath before continuing. "You see, those things are even worse than the homunculi. Unless a human sacrifices their life to kill it, they keep coming back." At this point, Ed saw Al eye to eye. "I know they want us, Al. Alphonse, I'm afraid that… unless we give ourselves up to the gate, there may not be a way to stop them." Al was so shocked that he couldn't bring himself to speak. Instead he lowered his head in-between his legs and stared down at the ground as his eyes began to water.

"All of this just because I wanted to get you back? Ed, does God hate us? Are we never supposed to be happy?" Al inquired hopelessly.

"I don't really know anything about that, Al, but I do know that we're not going down without a fight. It's not our style. And besides, I made you a promise, didn't I? Nothing is going to separate us ever again," Ed spoke with conviction. Al lifted his head to study his brother's determined face. He could see the hope burning in his amber eyes. If he hadn't given up yet, neither would he.

***

The next morning, Edward Elric and Alphonse Elric rode with Roy Mustang to Central Headquarters. Winry desperately wanted to accompany them, but Riza convinced her that it would be best for her to stay at the house. Ed would be presenting his case to the military tribunal and higher ups to gain approval for military reinforcements. He would need to be on his best behavior and be completely focused, and everyone agreed that Winry would only serve as a distraction to Ed (although no one said this to his face).

Once they arrived at the military building, Roy showed them to his office. Armstrong was waiting for them there, and he handed Edward and Alphonse each a package as they walked through the door. "What's this for?" Al asked curiously. Edward didn't ask, but opened it.

After looking in the box he snapped at Roy, "There's no way in hell I'm wearing this."

"Edward, do try to act like an adult in this situation, won't you? The military court will take you more seriously as a soldier, and will place a high priority on your case if you come before them as a State Alchemist. Please, consider this as part of the plan and nothing more," Mustang encouraged him. Inquisitive, Alphonse opened his gift to find a blue military uniform inside.

"But, Fuhrer Mustang, I'm not part of the military," Al pointed out. Roy smiled in his signature way.

"You are now. I had you instated as an honorary State Alchemist for the time being." Edward's eyes narrowed while Al's widened.

"How could you do that without his permission? I won't allow you to drag my brother into—

"Shut up!" Alphonse blurted. Surprised by his harsh words, Edward glanced at his younger brother. Al blushed slightly when he saw Edward's hurt expression, but didn't apologize. "Brother, I'm not a little kid anymore. I can make decisions for myself and I think this is for the best. Mustang is right. If we want to be taken seriously, this would be the best course to take. Let's do this and deal with the consequences later," he pleaded. After a moment of silence, Ed finally nodded and turned to point a finger at Roy.

"Fine, but don't think that just because you're fuhrer I'll let you boss us around. You give us our freedom and we'll go along with your game," Edward said bossily. Mustang laughed pleasantly.

"I would never dream of ordering you around, Edward. You'd never listen anyway." As the brothers took the uniforms out of their boxes, Roy went to grab a large envelope off his desk. Approaching Alphonse, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver pocket watch with the state's seal on it. "This is for you, Alphonse," Mustang explained while handing him the watch and the other package he had in hand. Alphonse gazed upon the finely crafted watch before opening the envelope. He pulled out the certificate recognizing him as a state alchemist and read over it carefully before looking up at Mustang.

"The Full Heart Alchemist?" He said as a question. Roy nodded seriously.

"Al, you and your brother have been through a lot. I notice that while your brother may act on emotions, you both think with your hearts. You have one of the biggest hearts out of any man I have ever met, and therefore, I felt the title was appropriate." Alphonse looked up at Roy Mustang with new admiration and saluted him formally.

"Thank you, sir," the younger Elric replied. Edward watched their exchange without a word although he had the urge to interrupt. When they seemed to be finished talking, he nudged his brother gently.

"Let's go put these on," he muttered, less than enthusiastic about the idea. Alphonse flashed him a big smile and followed him out the door and down the hall to the nearest bathroom. When they had finished changing they stepped out of their stalls in unison to gaze upon their reflections in the mirrors. Both couldn't help but gawk at how the clothes automatically aged them. They were no longer boys, but men, and with glistening silver chains hanging from their pockets, they were also part of the most elite group of soldiers in the world—the State Alchemists.

***


	8. Part 8: The Council's Verdict

When the Elric brothers returned to Mustang's office they were welcomed by a few raised eyebrows. "The transformation is amazing," Mustang noted, and for once, neither of the Elrics said a word. "Are you ready to present your case to the board?" The fuhrer then asked Edward. The elder of the brothers nodded. Mustang led them out of the room and Armstrong trailed behind them. The four came to the large conference room where the top military brass would often meet. Roy paused in front of the intimidating double doors to speak quickly and quietly to the Elrics.

"Listen to me carefully, boys. I may be fuhrer, but you still need to gain the council's approval in order for these plans to fall through. Under no circumstances can you allow your emotions to get out of hand, do you understand me? This is our only chance to earn their support so don't blow it." Ed and Al exchanged knowing looks before saying to Mustang,

"We understand." With this in mind, the fuhrer opened the doors and boldly strolled into the conference room. All the chairs situated around the long table were filled with high ranking government officials, all of whom stood and saluted as Mustang went to take his place at the head of the table. Armstrong motioned for Edward and Alphonse to stand at the end of the table while he positioned himself near the door. Once everyone had been seated again the Elric brothers felt the pressure of countless eyes digging into them. The room's temperature seemed to drop a couple of degrees and it took all of the brothers' resolve not to look away.

"Gentlemen, I present to you Alphonse and Edward Elric, two of the youngest and finest alchemists currently employed by the state. They are here to present their case on a grave matter, one that involves the entire world's security. Their primary request is additional troops and military support in order to accomplish their mission. Speaking for the brothers is Edward Elric," Mustang explained before nodding to the elder of the pair.

"Thank you, fuhrer," Edward said, testing the atmosphere with care. Mustang allowed himself an ironic smile before Edward continued. "As Roy Mustang has already mentioned, this situation involves the entire world's security. While using alchemy, a gate to a dangerous world was opened, and from that gate monsters have entered our world. I fought one of these creatures and so far know of no way to stop them short of sacrificing human lives to feed their appetite. My brother and I plan on returning to Resembol where the gate was opened to take these monsters head on, but without help it is unlikely that we will succeed. With that said, we humbly request the support of the council and assistance of the military." After Edward finished giving the most eloquent speech of his life, a couple of the council members looked to each other. One, an elderly man with a sharp jaw line, challenged Edward smoothly.

"Mr. Elric, I feel as if there are a couple details that you have omitted. Can you kindly explain how and who opened this 'gate' of which you speak? How many of these monsters are there, and why should this involve the military?" Edward paused, resisting the urge to look at Al.

"I've only seen one of the monsters so far and…I opened the gate while attempting a human transmutation," Edward proclaimed boldly. A couple gasps echoed these words and furious whispering filled the conference room. Al reached forward quickly to pinch his brother through his blue uniform, almost as if to ask, "what do you think you're doing?!" The same general who spoke to Edward initially went on to say,

"So, to correct your mistake and cover up your violation of the laws of alchemy, you are requesting our help, is that it?" Edward ground his teeth, biting back the words that immediately jumped into his mouth.

"Sir, I am not asking to be pardoned for my transgressions. All I am saying is that this monster is not going to stop devouring anything that gets in its path until it has reclaimed everything that I took from it—

"So here's a thought," another officer interrupted. "How about we feed you to the monster? The creature will be satisfied, no one else will suffer, and you will be able to pay for your crimes. Everyone is happy," he added dryly. The conference room erupted into mutters of agreement. Mustang watched the conversation unfold, his elbows resting on the table while his hands sat clasped in front of his face. Edward felt a drop of sweat slide down his forehead as he looked to the fuhrer for some sort of support. However, Roy skillfully avoided his gaze in order to maintain the appearance of partiality.

"It's a lie!" Alphonse suddenly blurted, silencing the men.

"Al—

"No, Ed. I won't let you take the blame forever," Al exclaimed before Edward could say anymore. "I am the one who opened the gate. My brother Edward was a State Alchemist who disappeared in the line of duty. He also happened to be researching the philosopher's stone, and while doing so, he was transported to what we call 'the gate,' a place that only alchemists who have attempted human transmutation have ever seen or been to. Out of sorrow, or maybe boyish hope, I researched ways to try and bring him back and I succeeded, but at the same time, I was unable to close the gate and now it wants to take him back and kill me for ignoring the laws of equivalent exchange. I know it is unfair of us to ask for your help, and you have every right to be angry… but there is no way to guarantee that once the creatures from the gate have us that they will be satisfied. The only way to be sure is to destroy them and close the gate for good. If you help us do that, I promise I will accept all responsibility for my actions and deal with the consequences, but please, help us make this right!"

Alphonse's passionate words left the council members in awed silence.

"Who is this, Fuhrer Mustang?" The stern faced councilman inquired.

"Alphonse Elric, the Full Heart Alchemist," Mustang murmured.

"Full Heart, eh?" The man mused. Alphonse's gaze locked on him, unwavering and strong. A few moments of heavy silence hung in the air before Mustang stood.

"Thank you for presenting your case, Elric brothers. We will now ask you to leave the room while the council deliberates. Armstrong will see that you are taken care of. A verdict will be given in the morning," Mustang added. Both Edward and Alphonse bowed in understanding before they were shown out of the room. Neither of the boys spoke as Armstrong showed them to a guest room in the soldier barracks. After he had left them with a promise to return at dawn, Alphonse turned angrily to his brother.

"When will you start viewing me as an equal, brother?" He demanded. Edward blinked in confusion.

"What the hell are you talking about? I was trying to protect you!"

"That's exactly what I'm talking about!" Al yelled angrily. "If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times! Trust me! I'm not a kid anymore and we're in this together. I don't want to live my life without you!" Wiping away the tears already falling from his eyes, Al turned his back to Ed, who sighed.

"I know, I know, Al… it's just that, some habits are harder to break than others," Edward admitted. Gently placed a hand on his little brother's head, he whispered, "We have a long day ahead of us. Let's get some sleep." Al nodded silently before reaching to turn off the light.

***

When Armstrong arrived at sunrise, the fuhrer was with him. Black bags sat under his eyes and it looked as if he hadn't slept. Before either of the Elric brothers could get a word in, Mustang said, "The council denied your request for assistance." Any greeting that Edward or Alphonse had planned to say left their lips, and instead they were reduced to staring dumbstruck at Roy. All the color drained from their faces and they found it hard to breathe. Finally, Ed managed to stutter a question.

"W-what do you mean they denied our request? How the hell can they just say no?" Mustang shook his head wearily.

"That's not the worst of it. They are calling for your arrest and execution as well. We need to get you out of here now. They've already sent someone to retrieve you. I'm sorry, boys."

"No! They can't be serious!" Edward growled. Clenching his right fist, the elder Elric turned and slammed it into the wall in dismay. From his hand a small stream of blood spurted and raced down the dull wallpaper.

"I know you're upset, Edward, but we need to go. Riza and I will get you and your brother to safety and I will send my men to go with you to Resembol, but that's the best I can do. Soon I will be under constant surveillance. They are going to hold a council to see whether I should be removed from power next week so you have to move fast." At this revelation, Alphonse snapped out of his daze.

"They're going to remove you from office? But why?! You haven't done anything!" The Full Heart Alchemist protested. Mustang smiled sadly.

"I supported you, didn't I? I made you both State Alchemists, too. The transgression is mine as well."

"Bull shit," Edward fumed. How could this have happened? How could the council have spat in their faces and left them out to dry?

"Sir," Armstrong murmured as he glanced down the hallway.

"Hurry," Mustang urged. Edward met Mustang's gaze head on, his eyebrows furrowed in stubborn determination.

"This isn't over yet, Mustang. We'll beat the shit out of these guys and come back victorious—and we won't let anything happen to you or anyone else who helped us," he vowed.

"Just make sure you and your brother come back alive, Full Metal. Do that, and then we'll talk. Now go," Roy ordered. The two Elrics immediately left the room to follow Armstrong while Mustang stood in the hallway and watched them go. Before they turned the corner, Edward turned back and said,

"Hey, don't think I'm following your orders, Mustang. I would have done this without you anyway," Ed sneered. Mustang grinned and raised a gloved hand, his two fingers pressed together threateningly. Edward flashed a grin in return and then the three of them were gone.


	9. Part 9: The Battle Begins

***

The trip to Resembol was a long one. Since the state had officially announced Edward and Alphonse as wanted men, the two had to leave Central quickly and quietly. Escorted by some of Mustang's most trusted soldiers, the brothers left the city in two separate cars, although reluctantly. Edward was protected by Armstrong and Havoc while Alphonse was escorted by Fallman and Fury. The familiar faces were comforting, but even with the old friends along for the ride, not much was said as they sped across the country towards the enemy that awaited them. Edward spent much of his time staring out the window, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. He was mentally preparing himself for the battle ahead, and the other soldiers seemed to understand this. Alphonse was the exact opposite. When Fallman and Fury weren't looking he studied their faces, doing his best to engrave all of the features into his memory. It could be the last time he ever saw them.

About half way through the long drive, both of the Elric brothers' escorts encouraged them to get some sleep. "You'll need strength for the battle ahead," Havoc noted somberly. With a small sigh of agreement, Edward slumped down in the back seat and closed his eyes. "Try to get some sleep, kid," Fallman urged Alphonse. Leaning his head against the cool glass window, Alphonse reluctantly let his eyes slide shut. He was unable to fall asleep for some time though. Not because of the bumpiness of the road or the silent whispers of Fallman and Fury, but due to his own jumbled nerves and emotions. When both brothers had finally drifted off, they slept soundly. The mental exhaustion of their journey hit them hard, but not hard enough to where they couldn't dream…

_Edward opened his eyes to darkness. He listened for any clues as to where he was, but it was as if the world had been put on mute. "Alhponse?" He yelled out questioningly. There was no response, and his words did not reverberate, but instead fell flat on his own ears. He began to walk, but the ground was completely smooth and he had no landmarks to tell him that he was making any progress. "Al?" Edward called faintly._

"_Over here!" His brother's familiar voice responded ever so softly. Ed turned sharply to find Alphonse standing behind him with a smile on his face. _

"_Don't disappear on me like that. You scared me," Ed admonished him. Alphonse merely smiled and cocked his head like he hadn't heard him. Edward frowned in annoyance. "Are you even listening to me?" The elder brother asked. When Alphonse smiled next, it was with a mouth full of glistening fangs. Ed jerked backwards in alarm._

"_Oh, I heard you Edward Elric," a voice that was not Al's responded. _

"_Who are you?" Edward muttered as he took a slow step backwards. Eyes shining brightly, the Alphonse imposter took a step forward to close the distance. _

"_Why, I am your little brother, Ed. Isn't it obvious? I have part of his soul. Therefore, he belongs to me." A bead of sweat formed on Edward's forehead. His eyes were locked on the monster before him. Slowly, without any prompting, the young boy was morphing into a hideous creature that blended in with the darkness around him. It was the same type of creature that had come out of the gate. _

"_You're the one that hurt Alphonse, aren't you?" Ed managed to ask. _

"_That's right, Edward Elric, and now I am coming for you." Before the Full Metal Alchemist could blink, the monster pounced, its wide mouth full of fangs open and ready to tear him limb from limb. _

***

"AH!" Edward shouted as he sat bolt upright in the car. Havoc, who was driving, jumped in his seat, causing the vehicle to swerve.

"Shit, don't scare me like that!" Havoc barked. Edward gasped and looked around while trying to regain his composure.

"S-sorry all. Are we almost there?" The alchemist asked, changing the subject. Havoc nodded into the darkness beyond the headlights where several lights were burning in the distance.

"You're looking at Resembol right now," he explained. By now, Edward had his breathing under control, but he couldn't keep his heart from racing. Curling up against the window, he closed his eyes and silently scolded himself. He couldn't allow himself to get psyched out—not now.

"What the hell?!" Havoc suddenly yelped. Edward's eyes bolted open in time to see Havoc swerve to avoid a an overturned vehicle. Slamming on the breaks so that they stopped abruptly, Havoc threw open the door. He was already kneeling beside the wrecked car when Edward and Armstrong jumped out. "It's Fury and Fallman's!" Havoc announced in a stricken tone.

"What?" Edward said in disbelief. Running to the soldier's side, the alchemist also knelt to try and peer into the crushed carriage.

"Stand aside," Armstrong ordered in his deep voice. The two immediately moved out of the way as the officer grunted and strained to push the car into a standing position. It looked as if the top of the vehicle had been crushed from above, and all of the windows had been smashed. One door had been completely torn off and not one of the three passengers was anywhere to be found. A sick feeling turned Ed's stomach as he stood slowly to his feet.

"What could have happened?" Armstrong wondered in dismay. Instinctively, Edward turned in the direction of the forest and gazed into the darkness. He knew even without seeing that the monster from within the gate was staring back at him from somewhere in the forest.

"I'm sorry Havoc, Armstrong. We got you all mixed up in our mess and now you're paying for it. Please, stay here and look for Fury and Fallman." Gritting his teeth, the older of the Elric brothers began marching north in a bee line towards the forest.

"Where do you think you're going?" Havoc protested.

"I'm going to go kill the thing that took my brother," Edward declared. From the depths of black before him, Ed could have sworn that he heard a laugh.

***

When Alphonse jolted awake, he found himself in a cold sweat. He couldn't remember what his dream had been about, but he did remember the uneasy feeling that it invoked. Seeing that Al was awake, Fury turned around in his seat and smiled kindly. "We're almost there, Alphonse. Your brother's car should be right behind us so we'll be meeting up with them—

But Fury never finished his sentence. The conversation was interrupted by a sharp crash, followed by the collapse of the ceiling. The metal came so close to Al's face that he almost lost his nose. Before he could register what was going on, the boy felt himself being grabbed by a large, clawed hand. There was no time to scream or fight back. The monster that had attacked suddenly from above, flattening the car, jumped up and away with Alphonse Elric in his possession. One last glance at the ground gave Al a clear view of the military vehicle in shambles, overturned on the dirt path leading to the tiny country town of Resembol.

Finally, it sunk in. "Who are you? Let me go!" Alphonse screamed. "Fallman! Fury!"

"Silence, Alphonse Elric. Your screams will never reach them," The strange being hissed with the sound of a thousand voices. 

"Y-you're from the gate!" Alphonse made it sound like a harsh accusation, but it only produced a chuckle from his captor.

"Perceptive human, aren't you?" Was this thing making a joke?

"Let me go! Why are you doing this? If you don't release me, my brother is going to come and kick your ass!" Alphonse growled. Quite suddenly, the beast turned its dark head to gaze down at the younger Elric. Smiling with malice, it said,

"Excellent. Let him come."

Alphonse's eyes widened at the creature's response as they flew from the sky down into the forest of Resembol. Squeezing Alphonse more tightly between its fingers, the monster from the gate sat back on its haunches and looked back in the direction they had come. The being's grip made it hard for Al to breathe, so instead he concentrated his energy on thinking of an escape plan. Nothing came to mind. After what had seemed like hours, the monster laughed abruptly, breaking the tense silence.

"What's so funny?" Alphonse spat. The dark beast lowered its head. For a moment, Alphonse's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Then, as his brother stepped into the clearing to be illuminated by the moon, he realized that it was bowing to Ed. A second later, the creature lifted its head again to meet Edward's eyes.

"I welcome you to hell, alchemist," it hissed. Clapping his hands together, Edward transmuted his favorite weapon, a spear, from the hard ground. Taking on a fighting stance, he spat at the monster's feet.

"Idiot. I don't believe in hell. However, I do believe in giving hell to those who mess with me or my brother. Now put him down and fight me you piece of shit!" With a roar of laughter, the beast threw the Full Heart Alchemist to the ground and leapt forward. The battle had begun.


	10. Part 10: Sacrifice

"Damn it, this is a lot harder than I thought it would be!" Edward yelled to his brother, who was making a mad dash towards the mountain looming in the distance.

"Well, things sorta did go downhill after you threw that spear in his eye!" Al panted just as he tripped over a branch and let out a yelp. Without skipping a beat, Ed raced to his side and pulled him to his feet. The battle had been going on for about half an hour now and there was still no sign of the military personnel. Edward and Al had tried everything they could, but the monster had taken every alchemic reaction and essentially thrown it back in their faces. When Edward ordered a mountain of rocks to rain down and crush the demon, it would hurl the rocks at them without so much as a grunt. The two had come up with some crazy combinations of things, but even after landing several direct hits, the monster would emerge from the rubble unfazed and even more eccentric than before. What made things worse was the conclusion the Elrics had finally come to—the black beast was merely playing with them. After thirty minutes of 'cat and mouse' though, the grin had disappeared from its face and it had begun to chase them. The siblings decided that they should retreat to the mountain in the hopes of finding some shelter and allowing them some time to think.

Edward and Alphonse didn't dare look behind them. They only needed to hear the thundering footfalls of the monster to know that it was in pursuit. "Where are we running to?" Alphonse panted.

"I remember—a cave—at the base—of the mountain!" Was Edward's jagged response. At that exact moment, they finally cleared the trees and the bottom of the mountain came into view. "There!" Edward pointed. Al still didn't see what his brother was referring to, but he followed him in the hopes that he knew where he was going. Mean while, the galloping monster behind them continued to make the earth tremble. As they grew closer to the rocks that were piled high, Alphonse finally caught a glimpse of a crack in the mountain's face. "There!" Ed repeated. Grabbing his brother's hand tightly, Edward pulled Al in-between two boulders and into the darkness. Without waiting for their eyes to adjust, Ed dragged his sibling further into the cavern. Only after they had walked a good two minutes in the dark did he finally release Alphonse's hand and slump to the ground. The Elrics' heavy breathing was the only sound to be heard other than the steady drip of water falling from the ceiling.

Edward cocked his head to the side. He could no longer hear the beast's heavy footsteps. That had to mean that it was waiting for them just outside the cave. "Brother, we can't stay in here forever. There's only one way out," Al reminded Ed nervously.

"I know, Al… but at least this gives me time to think," Edward reasoned. Only moments after saying this, a deafening crash echoed from the front of the cave. The reverberations were so strong that they caused Al to topple over into his brother's lap. "What the hell?!" Again, a strong boom was heard from the direction in which the boys had come. It seemed that their pursuer was desperately trying to break apart the boulders at the front of the cave in order to get to them. From the beams of light that suddenly illuminated the Elrics' frightened faces, they assumed that it was having some success.

"Ed, what are we going to do? I don't want to die like this!" Al cried.

"We're not going to, Al! Come on!" Edward urged as he got to his feet. Pulling his brother along behind him, he continued to run further into the cave where more caverns could be found.

"What if we get lost?" Al protested as Edward made the decision to go to the left.

"That's the least of our problems!" The older brother retorted. Edward continued to run in darkness with his younger brother in tow until he could no longer hear the monster from the gate. Slowing his run down to a walk, Edward began to think out loud.

"Come on, think with me. What could be its weakness? No attack we throw at the thing has any effect, but we were able to defeat the first one through dad's sacrifice…" Edward grimaced at the obvious answer. Someone would have to die.

"No, there has to be some other way," Al said firmly, quickly dismissing Edward's thoughts. For a long time neither of the two spoke. Edward's thoughts were racing so fast that he had no idea where to go with them. He could go with one theory, but if he was wrong, they would end up dead. He had to be absolutely sure, but in this scenario he feared that being absolutely sure about anything would be near to impossible. Then, from out of nowhere, one thought stood out among the rest.

"_I have part of his soul. Therefore, he belongs to me."_

What the monster had said in his dreams suddenly made sense. The fake Al had been a manifestation of the Gate and the piece of Al's soul that had been sacrificed to bring Edward back to life. The beast, just like Alphonse, was ignoring equivalent exchange and that was the source of its power. In order to defeat the beast, equivalent exchange would have to be put back in place, which meant only one thing. Not only would the brothers have to somehow retrieve the piece of Alphonse's soul, Edward would have to die.

As this realization sunk in, Edward opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come. How could Ed tell Alphonse that to save the world from destruction he would have to witness his older brother's death? There was no nice way to say it, so he would just have to do it himself. Taking everything from the time he had been rescued from the Gate until this very moment, Edward came to conclusion that he would have to sacrifice himself before his brother could get his soul back. Taking a deep breath, Edward reached out and touched Al gently on the shoulder. Although he couldn't see his face, he could imagine what his expression was.

"I think I have an idea. Follow my lead, all right?" Alphonse nodded out of habit even though his brother couldn't see him. Edward tugged on his brother's sleeve and began to lead him back towards the entrance to the cave. They hadn't gone very far when they heard a sinister laugh echo around them. Both of the boys froze instinctively.

"You thought you could run, did you? Don't you know that you're only avoiding the inevitable?" Glaring through the darkness, Edward was barely able to make out the hideous form of the beast that had been chasing them. It surprised him that it could fit in the cramped space. Pulling Al behind him, Edward transmuted another spear from the hard floor and prepared himself to fight. Before he could do anything though, he was blinded by a flare of light. The monster in front of him let out a squeal of surprise and pain as it was engulfed in flames. Edward shielded his face with his hands, but from between his fingers he could make out the familiar silhouettes of Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye. While the monster was still reeling, the two of them ran to the Elric brothers' sides.

"Good, we aren't too late," Mustang noted.

"Like hell you aren't! What took you so long?" Edward demanded.

"We had to go through a mountain of paperwork," Mustang said dryly. They didn't have much time to banter though because the monster was regaining its composure. The four turned to face it. Edward and Alphonse stood in front while Mustang and Riza stood behind them, poised to attack.

"Your numbers make no difference," The beast hissed in annoyance. Raising one clawed hand, it took a swipe at them all. Each person scattered in a different direction and began to attack. Alphonse used alchemy to bend the walls of the cave to grab the monster, while Edward, Riza, and Roy all took more direct approaches. Although Ed was grateful for the backup, he couldn't help thinking that his plan would be harder to pull off now. Ed fought valiantly in order to work up the courage to follow through with his theory. He had to give up—to lose on purpose, which he had never done before. In the light emitting from Roy's angry flames, Edward caught sight of his younger brother's determined face and engraved it into his memory. Then, he allowed his spear to fall from his hands. As it clattered loudly on the stone floor, all eyes turned towards him.

It seemed as if the world was in slow motion, but even as the monster crushed Edward's small body in his hands, all of Ed's attention was on his brother. Alphonse's expression was a mixture of horror and confusion. When the confusion became pain, Ed forced himself to look into his enemy's joy filled eyes. "I will thoroughly enjoy destroying your world, alchemist," it said. Those were the last words Edward Elric heard before he was swallowed alive.

***


	11. Part 11: The Moment of Truth

***

"NO! EDWARD!" Alphonse screamed as he made a mad lunge at the monster in front of him. Both Roy and Riza grabbed an arm to hold back the Full Heart Alchemist.

"Alphonse, don't! You'll only be killed!" Riza pleaded as the beast's harsh laughs rang in their ears.

"I don't care! It ate my brother; we have to get Ed out of that thing!" Al raved while he violently thrashed from side to side. Gritting his teeth, Roy barely managed to pull Al and Riza out of the way as the enemy took another swipe at them. The three fell onto the hard ground from the vacuum created by its swing and rolled quickly to the side.

"Alphonse, get a hold of yourself! Recklessly attacking the enemy will only get us all killed!" Roy said sternly. While talking, the fuhrer snapped his fingers in the general direction of the beast to create another scorching flame. It would buy them a couple more seconds to recuperate. "Get up. Think while you fight. We'll do our best to get him out of there," Roy promised. Wiping premature tears from his face, Al nodded shakily and stood as the monster emerged from the flames.

***

Ed's eyes opened slowly to gaze upon a fuzzy image of his brother's smiling face. "…am I dead?" the Full Metal alchemist asked. The floating head that was Alphonse chuckled.

"No, not yet, but you will be soon if you don't hurry." Ed looked around, but could find no light in the darkness.

"So I'm really inside that thing. I'm surprised I'm still alive," He couldn't help admitting. "So… what now?" He asked what he believed to be the fragment of Alphonse's soul. Al had no answer for him. "I thought I would die. I never imagined that I'd get stuck inside this bastard. Think Edward, think!" Ed walked in a circle with his arms folded across his chest. "My brother got me out of the gate by sending his soul in after me. Now I have found the piece of his soul… so, could it possibly work the other way around? This thing is an extension of the gate, it looks like…" For all of his musings though, Edward couldn't be sure. He was back down to guessing and hoping for the best. He sat there for a long while, contemplating his options, but even after he had decided he realized, "I have nothing to draw that transmutation circle with."

"What about your blood?" Floating Alphonse suggested. Edward grimaced. It would have to do. Reaching into his jacket, Ed pulled out his silver pocket watch. Opening it up, he slammed it into the ground and cracked the glass face. He cut his hands using a shard of glass and began to draw the circle he had shown Alphonse in his dreams. When he had finished he stood back to admire his handiwork.

"It may not work, you know. You could end up dead, or worse, you might kill me," The image of Al told him.

"True, I don't know anything for sure, but I've got to try, right? My brother and the others are probably still fighting on the other side. If I can return my brother's soul, equivalent exchange will be fulfilled and we can defeat this thing."

"No, that would require your death. Or have you forgotten that you were in the gate when all of this occurred?" Al corrected him. Edward smiled.

"I guess this is the moment of truth then. Do or die!" Clapping his hands, Ed slowly lowered them to the crimson transmutation circle and watched the sparks fly.

***

"Roy!" Riza cried as the fuhrer was smashed against the rock wall. She ran to him while furiously unloading a round of bullets in the enemy's face. Al used his alchemy to distract it so she could tend to her husband. From where Alphonse stood, things didn't look good. It was only a matter of time before they would fall prey to the monster like Edward had. The beast simply shook its head and all of the bullets lodged in its face dropped to the ground. It sounded like metal rain. Although Al was barraging it with alchemic attacks, it was only slowing it down. Then, it completely ignored the younger Elric and turned to the wounded Fuhrer Mustang.

"No, leave him alone!" Al yelled as he ran towards it.

"Stay back, Alphonse!" Riza warned as she continued firing at the monstrosity. Just as it was raising its black clawed hand to take down the Mustang couple with one swoop, Alphonse Elric stepped in front of them with his arms outstretched. A screeching laugh emitted from its twisted mouth. As the hand came down, Alphonse closed his eyes.

"I don't want to die like this," he whispered faintly. But he knew that it was hopeless. Why prolong the torture when he could just accept his fate? So he waited. And waited. And waited some more. What was taking so long? Get it over with!

When Al opened his eyes, it was to a blinding blue light. The monster was seated on its haunches with its head back and mouth hanging open. A flash of alchemy was coming from inside it. Unsure of what to make of this, the beast clawed at its insides. Gagging, it suddenly fell backwards and lay still. Taking extreme caution, Al stepped towards it out of curiosity. He stepped directly into a puddle of the blood that was flowing from the monster's mouth.

"What happened?" Riza wondered. The monster twitched and Alphonse quickly took a step back. A sucking noise was coming from its head. Al peered around the side of the large body to find a crimson mass slipping out of the demon's mouth. It was coughing and retching. "A parasite?" Riza whispered.

"No, it's me!" Claimed a familiar voice. Wiping the grime and blood from off his face, the blob revealed itself to be Edward Elric.

"Brother!" Al shouted with joy. Ignoring everything else, the younger Elric ran to hug Edward, disregarding the blood and guts that instantly covered him.

"Haha, not so tight, Al," Ed pleaded. Alphonse immediately released him and was opening his mouth to say something else when the creature let out a shudder. With a groan, it opened its red eyes.

"It's not dead!" Al exclaimed. Grabbing Edward and pulling him back, they both narrowly avoided getting cut in half by the beast's sharp teeth.

"Edward Elric!" It hissed.

"What are we going to do?!" Alphonse asked his older brother.

"This!" Edward said while clapping his hands. "Al, quickly, you too!" Al didn't ask questions, he just did what he was told. As the monster readied itself to pounce, Ed put one of his hands against Al's and then instructed him to put his free hand to the ground while he did the same. When their hands touched and the alchemic energy moved between them Alphonse felt as if something had been returned to him. Combining the power of the Elric alchemists, the two created an explosion that filled the cave with smoke and caused the entire earth to shake. "Come on, let's get out of here!" Edward shouted above the noise. Riza helped the disoriented Mustang to his feet and the four of them ran back to the entrance of the cave while rocks fell down all around them. The morning light greeted them just as the cave collapsed in their wake, followed by a scream of agony. Dropping to the forest floor, the four friends panted and wheezed to try and catch their breaths. Once all their breathing had returned to normal, everything was silent.

"How?" Alphonse murmured as he stared up at the sky.

"Fate, I guess," Edward responded. Al turned to look at his brother. He too, was staring at the sky.

"I know you don't believe in that," Al chided. A smile slowly made its way onto Edward Elric's face.

Suddenly, the quiet forest was disrupted by the sound of cars racing through the clearing. All four of the fighters sat up to see a line of military cars headed in their direction. Hanging out of the windows of the first car while waving frantically were Fury, Fallman, and Havoc. Armstrong was in the driver's seat. Everyone got to their feet as the cars came to a halt.

"Let me handle this," Roy said wearily. Riza helped to support his weight as he took a few steps forward. Most of the military brass had arrived on the scene. They had some explaining to do, but at least everyone was safe. Edward and Alphonse exchanged knowing glances before they were surrounded my concerned friends and military personnel.

The next hour passed in a blur. Roy had to explain his actions to the council, many of which weren't very happy, but it appeared that the threat had been neutralized without any casualties. There were some minor injuries however, so the plan was to get everyone to the nearest hospital for treatment. Since Roy Mustang had acted without permission from the council, they would have to decide on some sort of punishment. Edward and Alphonse had also disobeyed the state with their actions, but mutually decided to resign as State Alchemists so they would be let off the hook. It seemed that the names of Full Metal and Full Heart would be forever put to rest.

Once everything had settled down, Roy invited the Elrics to come back with them to Central, but Edward had other plans.

"I can see a doctor here in Resembol, and besides, Winry will be worried."

"Yes, apparently the military dropped her off at her house before coming here," Roy noted.

"Well then, I'm sure you'll understand why we can't come back with you," Ed went on. Roy could only nod. "And listen… I'm sorry if we caused any trouble," Edward added. For a moment, Mustang looked genuinely surprised, but he quickly regained his usual demeanor.

"What's this? An apology from Full Metal? Were you getting oxygen to your brain while inside that monster? Listen Edward, don't worry about it. Even if I am dismissed from my position as fuhrer, I won't blame you. And there is absolutely no need to thank me. I came to your rescue out of the kindness of my heart. I don't consider you in my debt whatsoever," Roy went on. Edward scowled and crossed his arms.

"Okay Colonel Sarcasm, I get it. Thanks for saving my ass, all right? Jeez, now get out of my town. I don't take pleasure in putting down military dogs," Edward retorted. Grinning without shame, Roy offered a playful salute before being helped into his car by his wife. After saying their goodbyes to the rest of the military, Edward and Alphonse began walking in the direction of Winry's house. They started up her walkway just as the sun had fully risen over the horizon. As they came closer they realized that she was already waiting for them on the front porch. When they reached her the boys smiled sheepishly, but for once, Winry didn't scold them. All she did was open her arms and say, "Welcome home."


	12. Part 12: Hope

***

Epilogue

Fuhrer Mustang was demoted to Brigadier General for going against the council, but to the military's surprise, he wasn't disappointed. He had climbed to the top to protect others and to eradicate corruption from the government. His demotion was proof that he had been able to accomplish both. "Actions always carry consequences, and I take full responsibility for my actions," Mustang said.

The retired state alchemists, Edward and Alphonse Elric, took up residency in Resembol. Rumor had it that they were even starting to rebuild the home that they had burned down many years ago. Without the military to guide them down a path, they were free to create their own. The one that they had chosen involved rolling hills and a beautiful blonde mechanic who was quickly becoming the central focus in Edward Elric's life.

But what were the consequences of the Elric brother's actions?

After destroying the strange being from the Gate, a phenomenon occurred—alchemy vanished from the world altogether. Slowly, but surely, the world recognized that no alchemy could be used, neither using transmutation circles or otherwise. Ed and Al were called upon to explain this occurrence since the disappearance of alchemy could be directly linked to their battle. Edward had only one explanation—equivalency.

"I kept my brother's soul and my life in exchange for destroying that beast, which was an extension of the gate. In essence, we destroyed the gate itself, and isn't that the heart of alchemy?" He explained to scientists and military alike.

Without alchemy, civilians and government officials would be forced to learn new ways of doing things. When Edward Elric himself was asked if he missed the greatest science to have ever been discovered, he answered with: "I have all that I need right here. I don't miss a thing."

***1 Year later***

"Brother, hurry up, we're going to be late!" Alphonse yelled as he stood by the door and tapped his foot impatiently.

"I know, I know!" Edward replied as he hopped down the stairs wearing only one shoe. Shoving the other one on as they went out the door, Ed chased after his brother as he ran in the direction of Winry's house. As was their tradition, dinner was served at 7:00 at Winry's every night. The brothers had been learning to cook on their own over the past year, but culinary arts was a science that they had not yet mastered so the Rockbell's helped them out whenever they could. When the two brothers arrived at Winry's, she was already standing outside waiting for them.

"Hurry or it will get cold!" She scolded. Alphonse headed in to the kitchen immediately while Edward paused to greet his girlfriend with a quick kiss. Before the three had a chance to start eating though, the phone rang.

"Who is calling in the middle of dinner?" Granny Pinako grumbled as she got up to answer it. The boys listened absentmindedly as they began to eat. "Hello. …Yes, Edward's here." Pinako turned to the elder Elric. "Ed, it's Brigadier General Mustang on the line."

"Tell him we're eating," Ed replied automatically.

"He said it's urgent."

"Not as urgent as my dinner," Ed retorted. Pinako scoffed and held out the phone to him. With a sigh, Ed got to his feet.

"What do you want?" Edward demanded. Quite suddenly, Edward's eyes doubled in size. "What? But-- how?" Both Winry and Alphonse looked up from their plates in curiosity. "Yeah, okay, I got it. Thanks." As soon as Ed hung up the phone, he ran outside. Winry and Al immediately got up and followed him. On the front porch they found Edward staring up at the sky. Much to their surprise, stars were streaking across it creating a brilliant display of blue and white light.

"Brother, what is it?" Al whispered. Not answering, Edward ran out into the field. Clapping his hands, he raised them into the sky, still running. Al gaped as the stars suddenly changed direction and started falling towards them. "Ed, watch out!" He yelled. Edward was surrounded in blue light that was so blinding that both Winry and Al had to shield their eyes. When it faded, they hurried to Ed's side. He was busy looking at his hands, which were emitting a faint blue glow.

"Hold out your hands," Edward instructed his younger brother. Al did so and Ed pressed their palms together. A tingling sensation overtook the younger Elric and they both smiled in unison.

"What is it?" Winry asked. Using actions to answer in place of words, both Elrics clapped their hands and pressed them to the ground, splitting the earth in a display of power. "Alchemy!" Winry exclaimed.

"It's back!" Edward confirmed. But after a moment, their smiles faded.

"Brother, does this mean…?" Alphonse trailed. Ed instantly adopted a serious expression.

"That the Gate is back? I don't know… but I do know one thing, Al. No matter what they throw at us, we'll face it together," he boldly proclaimed.

"Mm," Al agreed with a nod of his head. Lifting their eyes to the sky, the three stood and watched as more stars raced across it, filling the world once again with alchemy and hope.

~FIN


	13. Author's Note PLEASE READ!

Author's Note:

Thank you everyone for following me throughout this story and for your patience. Full Metal Alchemist is my favorite anime, so I thought that it was about time that I wrote something for it. I appreciate everyone who added it to their favorite's list, although I felt that it wasn't a very good story. It's probably a bit cliché and it's definitely not my best work, but I had fun writing it, even though I kind of got lazy at the end. Please give me your feedback by commenting. There won't be a sequel. It has been left open ended so you can imagine the possibilities on your own.

Thank you again, and please look forward to my future works!

Corri


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